The Greek Philosopher
by Galorya
Summary: Say something wise and your name will love on forever!


**Hello there! **

**So, this was a story I wrote for my English class, and I decided to post it here! :)**

"_Say something wise and your name will live on forever!"_

There are many lessons to be learned in life. This story centers on one lesson a foolish wise man learned. This was a man of great renown and many wise words, but none now live who remember him.

In the kingdom of Thebes there was a great, benevolent king and this king had a beautiful daughter. Alas, the king had no sons, therefore, no heir. He sent word to all of Greece to send him their men of worth; men worthy enough for the kingdom and his daughter's hand. Many came to prove themselves. Some showed their feats of strength and bravery, others their prowess in sorcery. Even a few master bards flaunted their skill of prose and poetry. One young man even sang the sweetest tune the king had ever heard. But feats of strength, sorcery, prose, and a good singing voice would not a good king make! A king must be wise and just.

The king was vexed. Though he had been impressed by the many suitors there was no one _truly_ worthy. It was then he decided to question each suitor with a kingly concern.

The next morning, a man with no title to call his own walked into the throne room with the other suitors. The man had shrewd eyes and an intelligent face. He'd not preformed for the king the previous day. But all men who had kingly aspirations were welcome to be judged.

"A king must be wise," said the king. "I have questions that a king would have to answer. But first! Tell me something wise."

"I know my sums!" a man who showed great strength the day before shouted. "Four and twenty makes twenty-four!"

The other suitors laughed at the strong man, except for one.

"Why are you not laughing?" asked the king to the untitled man.

"People have the right to be foolish" he replied, "some people abuse that right."

"That is very wise!" The king praised. "What more do you have?"

"A wise man shall hold his tongue 'till he sees his opportunity,"

"Well now is your opportunity!" the king said. "I have a question for all of you. Is it ever acceptable to lie?"

One man says, "It depends on the time."

The foolish man who knew his sums yelled, "No! It is never right to lie."

"Only if lying were my only choice," another man said.

Finally, the untitled philosopher said, "Truth is not always popular, but it is always right."

The king was pensive. "What is life's greatest illusion?"

"The one where you saw a woman in half," The strong, foolish man proudly proclaimed.

The throne room fell utterly silent. This was a challenging question indeed.

"Choice!" Another man answered.

"Everything!"

"Perfection!"

These answers were all very good, yet the king felt that none were truly wise. He noticed that the wise man with no title had not answered. The king waited.

Finally, the wise man spoke, "Innocence, my king."

The king was pleased. He then asked his final question for the suitors. "I have not revealed my daughter to you yet. What if I told you that she was not of great beauty? What say you?"

This time, it was only the wise man that spoke. "You do not love a woman because she is beautiful. She is beautiful because you love her."

It was this answer that made up the king's mind. The other suitors remained silent, for even they were taken aback by his words. This philosopher with shrewd eyes would make a great king and a loving husband.

"O great philosopher," the king began, "you have proven to be that you will be worthy enough to be my heir. May I present my daughter, Princess Amaranth?"

The wise man had never seen such beauty. "Love wakes a man but once a lifetime," he said, smiling, "never have I been so awake."

The wedding took place shortly after, for life was much too short to have long courting periods. But their love would be strong.

Word spread throughout Greece of this man's wisdom. The king asked for his opinion whenever he held court. His advice became even more widespread than his name. "Don't put all your eggs in one basket," he would caution businessmen. "All good things must come to an end," he warned noblemen. "Don't cry over spilled milk," he told weeping children.

The King gave the wise man his throne when he felt he grew to old to rule. The wise philosopher became known as the Great Wise King. His beautiful queen soon fell pregnant and gave her king his own heir.

The Wise King's intellectual prowess was becoming well known all throughout the world. People came to Thebes hoping to hear the wisdom of the philosopher-king. People sought his advice. Other_ kings_ sought his advice. Some people even began to wonder, 'Perhaps this man is wiser than the goddess of wisdom, Athena herself!' At first this claim seemed preposterous, but soon, even the philosopher began to wonder and even believe such a claim. So much so, that he began boasting about his superiority!

It was not long before Athena caught wind of this claim, and she was not at all pleased. "This mere _foolish_ mortal thinks he is more wise than I?" the goddess fumed. "I shall test his knowledge! Then we shall see who is wiser!"

The philosopher-king was not aware of the misfortune that would befall him. He didn't think these claims would have any consequence.

One cool-clear evening, while he was stargazing, the lovely sound of an owl's hoot caught his ear. It was a common sound to hear on a starry night. But the soft hooting sounded more like a person than an owl. "Who? Who? Who?"

"Who is there?" Curious, he followed the calls into the woods. Deeper and deeper he went, the questioning calls growing louder. At last, he came upon a clearing and saw a great silver owl perched on a branch. "Who? Who?" It continued to hoot. The philosopher took a step forward. The Owl met his gaze "Who? Who? Who do you think you are to compare yourself with me foolish mortal?!" said a owl. The bird spread its wings and flew off the branch of the tree. The bird landed and morphed into the Glowing Maiden. "You think yourself to be wiser than I? Athena?"

The philosopher stood in awe, "O great Athena, the tales and songs fall utterly short-"

"Flattery will not spare you!" the tall maiden, clad in battle-dress, stepped towards him. "I seek retribution. But am I not the most gracious of the gods? I will not end your mortal existence, if you can prove your braggart claims."

"What is it, my lady?"

"A challenge of riddles. If you are to win, you shall not be punished. I will accept defeat should you prove yourself," she said, her eyes flashing. "Shall we begin?"

The philosopher nodded and thought. He did not usually make up riddles. Normally he answered them. "Give me food, and I will live; give me water, and I will die. What am I?"

"Oh, you are a wise one. If you weren't so boastful I may have reconsidered my vow for you," Athena purred.

"If you don't know the answer, then I win!" The Wise-King cheered.

"Yet, I do know the answer to your lovely little riddle," She paused and smiled down at the King. "Fire," she answered simply.

The King sighed. That was the best riddle he could come up with.

"Now it is my turn. What came first?" She began. "The chicken or the egg?"

It sounded simple enough, yet puzzled her opponent. The philosopher-king thought for a long while. Athena's unblinking gaze gave him no comfort. He was silently cursing himself for boasting all of those times. Why couldn't he just keep his mouth shut? The great philosopher was stumped. Truly, he did not know the answer, for there was no answer, yet there had to be one. For the first time in his life, the foolish wise man did not know. He hated it, but he knew he must accept defeat, and pray Athena would not be merciless. "I- I do not know, O wise Athena…"

The goddess folded her arms in satisfaction. "It is more wise to accept defeat, mortal. For that, I will spare your life. However, your actions will not go unpunished! Your words will live on forever. All shall know your wisdom," she said. "But none shall know your name. You will be forgotten for eternity."

Suddenly, she changed back into an owl and flew into the night. The man stood, pondering what the curse meant. Would she take his fame away? That wasn't so bad… He could build it back. But was it really that simple? Worry gnawed at the wise king the whole walk back to the kingdom. At last, he arrived at the gate. As he walked through the village, he couldn't help but notice the strange glances people were giving him. He would wave his hand, but the people just stared.

"Halt!" A guard shouted as the philosopher-king walked into the palace. "What business brings you?"

The philosopher was appalled. "I am the king!"

The guard's eyes narrowed. "Thebes has no king!"

"I demand to see Queen Amaranth!"

Seeing that the man was finely dressed, the guard relented and called for more guards to escort him to the throne room.

Something was not right. Why were the guards treating him as a nobody? The throne room looked the same, but instead of her usual spot beside the great stone throne, Queen Amaranth sat upon the throne itself. Their child and heir was perched in her lap.

"This man claims to be a king, my lady!" The guard sneered.

"Not _a_ king, _The_ King. My love what is the meaning of this absurdity?" The Wise King demanded.

The Queen glared at the philosopher. "My King has never been and will never be again. This child, my son, is mine alone. How dare you! You lying wretch! Claim to be something that never was."

The King could not believe this. "I _am_ your love! I _am_ your king! Is that not our child that sits upon your knee. That is our son, Paradox. How could there be a son with no father?"

"My child's father is unknown," The queen looked fondly at the child on her knee, then turned her glaring gaze back to the wise fool.

"Do you not remember my name? Has the Sharp-Sighted Goddess taken that from you as well?"

"I know not your name nor your reasons for claiming to be my love. I know you not and I will not hear another word from your lying lips. Take him away!" The guards holding him dragged the speechless not-king away.

Just before he was out of the queen's sight he began to shout. "My Love! My Amaranth! My Queen! You must remember me. You must remember my name! It Is I, Anonymous!"

**Get it? Get it? Hehe**

**Thanks for reading! Don't forget to review!**


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